Normally, food is converted into a form of sugar called glucose. Cat and dog urine test results should be negative for glucose.

If the glucose in the blood is significantly higher than normal (for example in diabetes) some of the excess will be found in the urine. Glucose levels may falsely appear elevated, so it is important to repeat any test results within 48 hours.

Increased levels of glucose may indicate diabetes, but there are several other diseases not related to diabetes that can cause glucose to spill into the urine.

If your test shows a positive result for glucose, you should take your dog or cat to your veterinarian for a glucose blood test. Early detection is extremely important.

It is important to remember that your pet’s urinalysis test is not conclusive by itself, but can indicate that something is abnormal with your pet. An examination and possibly further testing by your veterinarian is needed to confirm a diagnosis.

Not every illness that can affect our dog’s and cat’s health can be seen on a urinalysis test, so always consult with your veterinarian if your animal is showing signs of illness or a change in behavior.

There is an interesting article in May 2014 Animal Wellness Magazine (I love this magazine) about cats and Lyme disease.

Most veterinarians (although not all) believe that cats do not get sick from Lyme disease when they have been exposed to it. They can test positive for the disease but not develop symptoms.

Still, ticks carry other diseases – even some which can be fatal for cats, so it is important to protect your cat from ticks. Keeping your cat away from tall grass and wooded areas where ticks are more prevalent is important.

And keep their immune system strong with a diet of high quality food. For many of us, trying to get our cat to take supplements is a stressful and often unsuccessful experience.

If anyone has a very “delicate” cat (my Chloe, for instance) you know that it is critical to keep their immune system strong. A weakened immune system can be a contributing factor for a host of illnesses.

A main cause of kidney infections in cats is bacteria. A cat with a strong immune system will eliminate the bacteria before it has a chance to grow and potentially spread to the bladder, kidneys or urethra.

In animals that are very young, older or have weakened immunity, the bacteria can grow quite quickly and become a serious illness.

Kidney infections can be a secondary disease when a primary disease already exists.

Most common symptoms: inability to urinate, pain while urinating, loss of appetite, fatigue and blood in the urine.

The horrifying case of Puppy Doe has triggered a huge response worldwide. Many people have now committed themselves to working together to help prevent animal abuse. And to strengthen the current laws against abusers.

There are many things that we can do and one site that is a good place to start to read up on related issues is the Animal Legal Defense Fund http://www.aldf.org

There are several important petitions to support on the site too.

Puppy Doe has become a catalyst for change. It is now up to us to create that change!

Order 6-refill and get 6 free tests!!
We are now shipping test strips with an expiration date of 07/2015. However, we have some strips left with an expiration of 04/2014.
So, we will include 6 free strips with the 2014 expiration on any orders of 6 refills. So – order 6 refills and you will receive 6 tests with the 2015 date and 6 more with the 2014 date. This offer will be good until all the 2014’s are gone!!

Many people in Iowa are surprised to know that the state ranks in the top 3 in terms of the number of puppy mills.

So I was happy to get this email today stating that in the past 4 years, this number has gone from over 450 to less than 250.

There are 2 important walks on behalf of puppy mill dog this month. The first is in Cedar Rapids on Sunday, September 15 and the second one is on Saturday Sept. 21 in Des Moines. They are both sponsored by Iowa Friends of Companion Animals.

I am reading more and more articles on the importance or practicing preventative medicine and establishing an early detection health care routine.

The statistics are impressive. Between 60-75% of chronic illnesses can be reversed with just a change in diet IF caught early enough. With the increasing costs of veterinary care, this becomes a responsible practice for all pet owners.

When Chloe started spilling glucose in her urine, almost 2 years ago, we switched her to an all canned diet and she has maintained normal values since then. Her last blood work in July was even better than the previous one 6 months ago!

It’s so much better to prevent an illness or to be able to treat it at an early stage than to have to deal with a serious, life-threatening and costly illness.

Seems like a while since there has been some good news, so it was nice to see that the White House has taken a stand against breed specific legislation.

“We don’t support breed-specific legislation – research shows that bans on certain types of dogs are largely ineffective and often a waste of public resources,” it reads. To read more: http://yhoo.it/1f4C8jy

At the very least, this will give people some added leverage in fighting the legislation in their communities.